NIFES to host Open Day in Lagos

The Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES) will host students from some tertiary institutions and other associates on Saturday in Lagos at its 14th National Open Day programme.

The event, which holds at the Church Hall of Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos Island, would feature the grand finale of a national quiz competition among various NIFES groups, speeches, exhortations and gospel music.

At a briefing to announce the Open Day, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Mr Okoroji Onoh, said the non-denominational Christian group, which was established in 1968, organises the forum to create awareness for its activities.

“This is a forum to create awareness about our programmes, where we can share testimonies of our work in higher institutions. It will also give us room to network and celebrate God’s work in the ministry,” he said.

Also, Mr Ebere Eze, who is the Director of Associates for the group, underscored the social relevance of NIFES’ work on campuses of tertiary institutions across the country, which has helped to improve the Nigerian society.

“NIFES has been involved in the transformation of society since inception. We teach social issue lke shunning corruption; we teach our students to live above tribal sentiments. We teach our students to live like Jesus who loves everyone. NIFES has been involved in entrepreneurship. A lot of students sponsor themselves after going through our entrepreneurship programme,” he said.

Mike Itegboje, a member of the LOC, added that NIFES grooms its student- members to be God-fearing, responsible and role models.

On his part, Rev Sunday Madudu, said given all the investments NIFES has made in the lives of many generations of former students who are now established in business and ministry, they should give back to support the group’s work.

He said: “Over the years, these NIFES students have become owners of big businesses, churches. This is payback time. They now have to re-invest in the lives of the students.’’

One of the purpose of the LOC is to raise funds, promote the organiseation and ease the work of the students. It is time to payback to move NIFES forward,” he said.

The LOC chairman, Onoh, said the group is seeking to raise N500m to build a secretariat, residential quarters for permanent staff and a mini retreat centre.